“Are you coming with me, or not?” asked Noxon.

They followed him out the door of the hotel room. They arrived at the parking lot much later than before, and now two rangers tried to persuade them not to go. But they went, and saw the prey stunned by two expertly thrown cobblestones, and then killed with the jab of a wooden spear into the spine. They watched the Erectids flake small blades from their seedstones, and flay and section the body while the blood was still warm, then bind the haunches and slabs of meat with twine and start jogging back toward the camp, where the fires would be waiting, and the women and children and old men were hungry for the meat, which would mean the survival of the tribe for another few days.

Chapter 24: Motherless Boy

CHAPTER 24

Motherless Boy

“Something doesn’t feel right to me,” said Square to Umbo.

Umbo looked at the young man but said nothing. It wasn’t Umbo’s job to draw him out. Square would say what he had to say, when he was ready to say it. If Umbo spoke now, it would become Umbo’s conversation, and since he had no idea what the conversation would be about, it didn’t seem likely to be productive.

“I’m trying to think through everything that everybody has taught me about what’s right and wrong,” said Square. “I know it doesn’t mean legal or illegal—it’s usually right to obey the law, because that’s how civilization works best, but not always. I mean, over in Ramfold, either you’re King-in-the-Tent because you’re married to Param Sessamin and her mother is Sessaminiak, the rightfully deposed queen, or you’re a traitor and a rebel because you and Param make that claim but Hagia is still Sessamin, and Haddamander is King-in-the-Tent and all his actions are right.”

“Is that what you’re trying to make up your mind about?”

“Oh, not at all,” said Square. “I was just showing my thinking about right and wrong versus legal and illegal.”

“I’m not Rigg, and he only demands that from you because that’s how he was raised, one long oral examination.”

“But it’s a good education. I know so much now that I finally understand how little I know.”

“Very wise. But I was born knowing that.”

“Having your supposed father tell you that you’re stupid every hour of the day is not the same thing,” said Square.

“He swore he was teaching me a lesson,” said Umbo. “I was defrauded.”

“The thing that doesn’t feel right,” said Square, “is having Rigg at the head of your army of traitorous rebels.”

“He isn’t, actually,” said Umbo. “Olivenko is the overall commander.”

“But it’s actually worse the way it is, having Rigg lead every raiding party. He hates fighting.”

“No,” said Umbo. “He hates killing.”